NRCC News

NRCC Class of 2023 Graduate Profile: Grace Anderson

Jul 13 2023

NRCC Class of 2023
Grace Anderson

“I feel very prepared and ready for the next steps, and NRCC has helped with that. Being at NRCC has allowed me to understand what it is I want to do in the coming years.”

Hometown: Blacksburg
High School: Blacksburg High School
Degreed earned at NRCC: associate of arts and sciences in science

Grace participated in the ACCE program and attended NRCC with plans to transfer to a four-year university.

“The opportunity provided to me at NRCC to join a welcoming community of students and faculty was the most compelling aspect to me. Having smaller classes with professors more readily available to aid in my learning was a top priority of mine, and NRCC was the only place I could find that. I decided to attend NRCC to provide myself with a smooth transition out of high school into the fast-paced life of college courses.”

While at NRCC, Grace served as the Vice President of Service for the Phi Theta Kappa national honor society chapter at NRCC. She was also nominated to Phi Theta Kappa’s 2023 All-Virginia Academic Team.  Grace credits many faculty and staff for helping her succeed at NRCC. 

“Cynthia Wynne was my biology professor, she made class a welcoming place to share thoughts making it the highlight of my day, she has also inspired me to continue with biology in the coming years. Christopher Brewer was my Applied Calculus II instructor…his teaching style and friendliness made him one of the most helpful professors.”

Grace plans to attend Virginia Tech in the fall and study biology. She hopes eventually to become a physician’s assistant. She notes that one of the best things about NRCC was the community. 

“Not only was I able to connect and make new friends with fellow students, but I also found every faculty and staff member to be beyond kind. I was not treated as student number X, but more so as an individual person, which is something I will be forever grateful for.”

Trying to balance working, school, and a social life isn’t always easy, admitted Grace.

“But NRCC has been such a breath of fresh air in my work school balance.”

“I am extremely in awe of the community that is NRCC… If I could come back for two more years I would do it in a heartbeat!”